Designing user interface week ix part 2

JOEY MILLER D. MINGUILLAN

WEEK IX PART II

User interfaces

Dialogue guidelines

Feedback

Help

Ecommerce dialogue

Data mining

Ergonomics

Kendall & KendallCopyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc.

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The user interface is the system which helps users communicate with the computer system and/or the application system


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To design a better user interface, use the following objectives:◦ Effectiveness as achieved through design of

interfaces that allow the user to access the system in a way that is congruent with their individual needs

◦ Efficiency as demonstrated through interfaces that increase speed of data entry, and reduce errors


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Further interface design objectives◦ User consideration as demonstrated in designing

suitable interfaces, and providing appropriate feedback to users from the system

◦ Generating usable queries

◦ Productivity as shown through following sound principles of design for user interfaces and work spaces


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The user interface has two main components◦ Presentation language, which is the computer-to-

human part of the transaction

◦ Action language that characterizes the human-to-computer portion


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There are several types of user interfaces:◦ Natural-language interfaces

◦ Question-and-answer interfaces

◦ A menu interface

◦ Form-fill interfaces

◦ Command-language interfaces

◦ Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs)


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Natural-language interfaces permit users to interact with the computer in their everyday or "natural" language


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Question-and-answer interfaces◦ The computer displays a question for the user on

the screen

◦ The user enters an answer via the keyboard

◦ The computer acts on that input information in a preprogrammed manner

◦ New users may find the question-and-answer interface most comfortable


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A menu interface, which provides the user with an onscreen list of available selections

A nested menu is a menu which can be reached through another menu


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The advantages of nested menus are◦ Nested menus give a less cluttered screen

◦ Nested menus eliminate menu options which do not interest a user

◦ Nested menus allow users to move quickly through the program


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GUI menus guidelines◦ The main menu is always on the screen

◦ The main menu uses single words

◦ The main menu should have secondary menus grouped into similar features


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Further GUI menus guidelines◦ The secondary drop-down menus often consist of

more than one word

◦ Secondary options perform actions or display additional menu options

◦ Menu items in gray are unavailable for the current activity


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Form-fill interfaces are onscreen forms displaying fields containing data items or parameters that need to be communicated to the user

Form-fill interfaces may be implemented using the Web


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Advantages of using a Web-based form◦ User enters the data

◦ Data may be entered 24 hours a day, globally

Disadvantages of a Web-based form◦ The user may not know what to enter if the form is

not clear

◦ User might be nervous about using a credit card over the Internet


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Command-language interfaces are more popular than the previous ones

Allow the user to control the application with a series of keystrokes, commands, phrases, or some sequence of these


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GUIs provide a strong metaphor of the application

Allow direct manipulation of the graphical representation on the screen◦ Can be accomplished with keyboard input, joystick,

or mouse

◦ Requires more system sophistication than other interfaces


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Dialog is the communication between a person and the computer

Three key points to be considered◦ Meaningful communication

◦ Minimal user action

◦ Standard operation and consistency


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Communication means that the user understands the information that is being presented

Users with less skill require a greater amount of communication

Provide easy to use help screens

Often these contain hyperlinks to other related help topics


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Minimal user action is achieved by◦ Entering codes instead of code meanings

◦ Enter only data that are not stored on files

◦ Not requiring users to enter editing characters

◦ Supplying default values on entry screens

◦ Providing inquiry programs with short entry fields


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Further key points◦ Providing keystrokes for selecting menu options

that are normally selected using a mouse

◦ Selecting codes from a pull-down menu on a GUI screen

◦ Provide context-sensitive menus, displayed when the right mouse button is clicked on an object


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Standard operation is achieved by◦ Keeping header and footer information in the same

locations for all screens

◦ Using the same keystrokes to exit a program

◦ Using the same keystrokes to cancel a transaction

◦ Using a standard key for obtaining help


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Further key points◦ Standardized use of icons when using graphical

user interface screens

◦ Consistent use of terminology within a screen or Web site

◦ Providing a consistent way to navigate through the dialog

◦ Consistent font alignment, size, and color on a Web page


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Tab control dialog boxes are a feature of GUI design

They should have logically grouped functions on each tab

Each tab dialog box should have OK, Cancel or Apply, and perhaps Help buttons


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Voice or speech recognition systems are developing rapidly

There are two different types of voice recognition:◦ Continuous speech systems, allowing for dictation

◦ Speaker independence, so people can enter commands or words at a given workstation


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The five useful standards in evaluating the interfaces are◦ The training period for users should be acceptably

short

◦ Users early in their training should be able to enter commands without thinking about them, or referring to a help menu or manual


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Continued evaluation guidelines◦ The interface should be "seamless" so that errors

are few, and those that do occur are not occurring because of poor design

◦ Time necessary for users and the system to bounce back from errors should be short

◦ Infrequent users should be able to relearn the system quickly


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All systems require feedback in order to monitor and change behavior by◦ Comparing current behavior with predetermined

goals

◦ Giving back information describing the gap between actual and intended performance


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Feedback to the user is necessary in seven distinct situations:◦ The computer has accepted the input

◦ The input is in the correct form

◦ The input is not in the correct form

◦ There will be a delay in processing

◦ The request has been completed

◦ The computer cannot complete the request

◦ More detailed feedback is available


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Program help comes in a variety of ways:◦ Pressing a function key, such as F1

◦ A GUI pull-down menu

◦ Context-sensitive help, specific for the operation being performed

◦ Iconic help, obtained when a cursor is left over an icon for a few seconds


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Program help options, continued◦ Wizards, which provide a series of questions and

answers when trying to perform an operation

◦ Telephone help desks provided by the software manufacturer

◦ Software forums on nation wide bulletin boards


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Extra considerations are needed when developing ecommerce Web sites

Feedback needs to be solicited from customers, using either of two methods:◦ Launch the user’s email program

◦ Create a blank feedback template with a submit button labeled “feedback”


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Intuitive navigation should be designed◦ Creating a rollover menu

◦ Building a collection of hierarchical links

◦ Placing a site map on the home page and emphasizing the link to it from every page on the site

◦ Placing a navigational bar on every inside page that repeats the categories used on the entry screen


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There are six different types of queries:◦ Obtain specified data for a particular entity

◦ Find a group of entities that have certain characteristics

◦ Find attributes for an entity for certain characteristics

◦ Display all the attributes for a certain entity


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Different types of queries (continued):◦ Find all entities with a certain characteristic

◦ List attributes for all entities for certain characteristics


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V is value, E is entity, A is attributes, variables in parentheses are given:◦ Query type 1: V <--- (E,A)

◦ Query type 2: E <--- (V,A)

◦ Query type 3: A <--- (V,E)

◦ Query type 4: V <--- (E, all A)

◦ Query type 5: E <--- (V, all A)

◦ Query type 6: A <--- (V, all E)


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There are two methods for implementing database queries:◦ Query By Example (QBE), which allows users to

select fields and specify conditions using a grid

◦ Structured Query Language (SQL), which uses a series of keywords and commands to select the rows and columns that should be displayed


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A parameter query allows users to enter a value to select records without changing the query syntax


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Web searches use search engines to answer a query

Guidelines for searching the Web◦ Decide whether to search or surf the Web

◦ Think of the key terms before searching

◦ Construct the search questions logically, with attention to the use of AND and OR search logic


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Further guidelines for searching the Web are:◦ Use a search engine that saves your searches

◦ Use a search engine that informs you of changes in the Web sites you select

◦ Look for new search engines periodically


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Data mining is gathering a large amount of information about a person and their habits and using that information as a predictor of future behavior

It must be carefully and ethically used to avoid infringing on an individual’s privacy


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Systems analysts should consider an ergonomically sound working environment even though they usually don't have much control over the design of the workspace


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Some of the important working environmental variables to be considered are◦ Room color and lighting

◦ VDT or LCD screens

◦ User keyboards

◦ Computer desks

◦ User seating


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